Euro 2012http://www.thejc.com/news/topics/euro-2012
The taxonomy view with a depth of 0.enLabour MP: Cameron should back Munich silence as Euros marked Holocausthttp://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/69635/labour-mp-cameron-should-back-munich-silence-euros-marked-holocaust
<p>A former Labour minister has written to the Prime Minister calling for him to back a minute's silence at the London Olympics in memory of the 11 Israeli athletes murdered in Munich 40 years ago.</p>
<p>Denis MacShane, Labour MP for Rother h am and Europe Minister under Tony Blair, said David Cameron should follow the example set at Euro 2012 in Poland, during which the England team visited Auschwitz "in the spirit of 'Never Again'."</p>
<p>Dr MacShane urged Mr Cameron to push the International Olympic Committee to change its stance on an official commemorative silence or agree to "some moment of commemoration", which the IOC has so far refused to support.</p>
<p>"The IOC will come up with the usual line about not mixing sport and politics," he wrote. "But at the recent Euro 2012 competition the players and stadiums showed signs 'No to Racism' and the English and other football teams visited Auschwitz."</p>
<p>"If the IOC treats the memory of the dead Jewish Olympians with indifference than shame on them," he said. "But I am sure most MPs would welcome some statement from the British Government in support of a commemoration moment.</p>
<p>"If the IOC persists in its stubborn disregard of the anti-Jewish atrocity committed at the 1972 Olympics then I hope Britain can organise its own ceremony to say again "Never Again" to Jew-killing in the name of any ideology or cause."</p>
<p>On Thursday Lord Coe, chairman of the London Organising Committee, agreed to hold a "personal" memorial to the dead athletes, but did not go into details as to what this would be. </p>UK newsLabourEuro 20122012 London Olympics69635storyhttp://www.thejc.com/files/munich-plaque_0.jpg

68656Euro 2012 fans told, come and see Poland's Jewish revival, an hour from Auschwitz69560Time to listen to call for Munich silence
A former Labour minister has written to the Prime Minister calling for him to back a minute's silence at the London Olympics in memory of the 11 Israeli athletes murdered in Munich 40 years ago.
Denis MacShane, Labour MP for Rother h am and Europe Minister under Tony Blair, said David Cameron should follow the example set at Euro 2012 in Poland, during which the England team visited Auschwitz "in the spirit of 'Never Again'."
Dr MacShane urged Mr Cameron to push the International Olympic Committee to change its stance on an official commemorative silence or agree to "some moment of commemoration", which the IOC has so far refused to support.
"The IOC will come up with the usual line about not mixing sport and politics," he wrote. "But at the recent Euro 2012 competition the players and stadiums showed signs 'No to Racism' and the English and other football teams visited Auschwitz."
"If the IOC treats the memory of the dead Jewish Olympians with indifference than shame on them," he said. "But I am sure most MPs would welcome some statement from the British Government in support of a commemoration moment.
"If the IOC persists in its stubborn disregard of the anti-Jewish atrocity committed at the 1972 Olympics then I hope Britain can organise its own ceremony to say again "Never Again" to Jew-killing in the name of any ideology or cause."
On Thursday Lord Coe, chairman of the London Organising Committee, agreed to hold a "personal" memorial to the dead athletes, but did not go into details as to what this would be.
Fri, 06 Jul 2012 12:39:40 +0100Jennifer Lipman69635 at http://www.thejc.comUkraine cleans up its act for Euro 2012 but not for its poorhttp://www.thejc.com/comment-and-debate/comment/68810/ukraine-cleans-its-act-euro-2012-not-its-poor
<p>Fifteen year old Ukrainian twins Sergei and Dmitry Goraschenko have always dreamed of being professional footballers. They spend every spare minute playing impromptu games with their friends, so the arrival of some of the world's best players on their doorstep should be cause for celebration. </p>
<p>But Sergei and Dmitry won't be at any Euro 2012 games. The boys live with their 23-year-old sister Elena, who has severe learning disabilities, and parents Svetlana and Vitaliy, who earn around €230 a month from sporadic work as a cook and a driver respectively. This barely covers the family's most basic costs. Their home is a tiny, damp building with no indoor toilet or water supply, on the outskirts of Dnepropetrovsk. They rely on World Jewish Relief for clothes, medicine, and coal. At €30, even the cheapest tickets are out of reach. Instead, the twins will try to find someone in their neighbourhood who has a television.</p>
<p>The Ukrainian government has reportedly spent around €8 billion preparing for the tournament, and is desperate to use the spotlight to promote Ukraine as a hospitable country that has embarked on the path of reform. Yet this is simply not the reality for a huge section of the Ukrainian population. The Goraschenkos are just one of thousands of Jewish families living in desperate circumstances; 35 per cent of Ukrainians live below the poverty line and 14 per cent struggle even to feed themselves. Older people, and those with disabilities, face particular difficulties.</p>
<p>Named the world's fourth worst performing economy in 2010 by Forbes, 21 years of independence has failed to bring any prosperity to the Ukraine's vulnerable. The country is held back by weak institutions, its failure to modernise its industrial complex and, especially, by corruption. Recently, much has been reported about ongoing antisemitism. Nobody can deny that this is a problem, but for many of those we work with, poverty is an even more significant issue. </p>
<p>WJR has worked in the country for 15 years, supplementing meagre pensions, providing nutritional, medical and winter relief and improving the living conditions of those in dilapidated homes. So far, none of the investment in stadiums and roads has trickled down to affect the lives of people we work with.</p>
<p>So what is the conscientious football fan to do? Switch off the television in protest? No. This won't help people living in poverty. Instead, we should be using Euro 2012 to express our solidarity.</p>
<p>To understand the situation in the Ukraine you have to understand its tragic history. The Jewish community, as well as society at large, has faced decades of turmoil and hardship. Before the Holocaust, the population was already suffering enormously as a result of forced agricultural collectivisation and artificial famine. The clash between the Nazis and Soviets saw unprecedented mass-murder of civilians, with more than seven million lives lost during the conflict, including 34,000 Jews shot dead at Babi Yar. By the time the gas chambers at Auschwitz became operational in 1943, most of the million Ukrainian Jewish victims had already been killed. </p>
<p>Sergei and Dmitry's ancestors survived the Holocaust, but for five decades could not talk publicly about their experiences. Surviving the occupation was not deemed to be heroic; victims were often seen as traitors by Soviet authorities and treated accordingly. Forgotten casualties of two brutal dictatorships, these people were denied even their right to remembrance. This meant that Jewish identities were buried for decades; the simple fact that Ukrainians are embracing their Jewish family history is progress indeed. </p>
<p>There is much we can do to improve the lives of people like Sergei and Dmitry. Meeting the day to day needs of the vulnerable through our partner organisations on the ground is desperately important. WJR is also expanding its Livelihood Development Programme, to equip people with the skills needed to secure better employment, and lift themselves out of poverty. </p>
<p>Beyond this, there is incredible value in simply raising awareness; in ensuring that the world knows what the situation is like on the ground. The path of reform and development is complex, and spreading the word about the difficulties people face can only hasten the process. </p>
<p>So when you sit down to watch England play Sweden today, spare a thought for Sergei and Dmitry. Let's use Euro 2012 to celebrate our passion for football, while shining a light on the poverty that blights the lives of ordinary Ukrainians. </p>CommentWorld Jewish ReliefCharityEuro 201268810story

Ekaterina Mitiaev is the WJR programmes performance adviser.
Fifteen year old Ukrainian twins Sergei and Dmitry Goraschenko have always dreamed of being professional footballers. They spend every spare minute playing impromptu games with their friends, so the arrival of some of the world's best players on their doorstep should be cause for celebration.
But Sergei and Dmitry won't be at any Euro 2012 games. The boys live with their 23-year-old sister Elena, who has severe learning disabilities, and parents Svetlana and Vitaliy, who earn around €230 a month from sporadic work as a cook and a driver respectively. This barely covers the family's most basic costs. Their home is a tiny, damp building with no indoor toilet or water supply, on the outskirts of Dnepropetrovsk. They rely on World Jewish Relief for clothes, medicine, and coal. At €30, even the cheapest tickets are out of reach. Instead, the twins will try to find someone in their neighbourhood who has a television.
The Ukrainian government has reportedly spent around €8 billion preparing for the tournament, and is desperate to use the spotlight to promote Ukraine as a hospitable country that has embarked on the path of reform. Yet this is simply not the reality for a huge section of the Ukrainian population. The Goraschenkos are just one of thousands of Jewish families living in desperate circumstances; 35 per cent of Ukrainians live below the poverty line and 14 per cent struggle even to feed themselves. Older people, and those with disabilities, face particular difficulties.
Named the world's fourth worst performing economy in 2010 by Forbes, 21 years of independence has failed to bring any prosperity to the Ukraine's vulnerable. The country is held back by weak institutions, its failure to modernise its industrial complex and, especially, by corruption. Recently, much has been reported about ongoing antisemitism. Nobody can deny that this is a problem, but for many of those we work with, poverty is an even more significant issue.
WJR has worked in the country for 15 years, supplementing meagre pensions, providing nutritional, medical and winter relief and improving the living conditions of those in dilapidated homes. So far, none of the investment in stadiums and roads has trickled down to affect the lives of people we work with.
So what is the conscientious football fan to do? Switch off the television in protest? No. This won't help people living in poverty. Instead, we should be using Euro 2012 to express our solidarity.
To understand the situation in the Ukraine you have to understand its tragic history. The Jewish community, as well as society at large, has faced decades of turmoil and hardship. Before the Holocaust, the population was already suffering enormously as a result of forced agricultural collectivisation and artificial famine. The clash between the Nazis and Soviets saw unprecedented mass-murder of civilians, with more than seven million lives lost during the conflict, including 34,000 Jews shot dead at Babi Yar. By the time the gas chambers at Auschwitz became operational in 1943, most of the million Ukrainian Jewish victims had already been killed.
Sergei and Dmitry's ancestors survived the Holocaust, but for five decades could not talk publicly about their experiences. Surviving the occupation was not deemed to be heroic; victims were often seen as traitors by Soviet authorities and treated accordingly. Forgotten casualties of two brutal dictatorships, these people were denied even their right to remembrance. This meant that Jewish identities were buried for decades; the simple fact that Ukrainians are embracing their Jewish family history is progress indeed.
There is much we can do to improve the lives of people like Sergei and Dmitry. Meeting the day to day needs of the vulnerable through our partner organisations on the ground is desperately important. WJR is also expanding its Livelihood Development Programme, to equip people with the skills needed to secure better employment, and lift themselves out of poverty.
Beyond this, there is incredible value in simply raising awareness; in ensuring that the world knows what the situation is like on the ground. The path of reform and development is complex, and spreading the word about the difficulties people face can only hasten the process.
So when you sit down to watch England play Sweden today, spare a thought for Sergei and Dmitry. Let's use Euro 2012 to celebrate our passion for football, while shining a light on the poverty that blights the lives of ordinary Ukrainians.
Thu, 14 Jun 2012 11:39:16 +0100Ekaterina Mitiaev68810 at http://www.thejc.comWhy no Auschwitz visit for French Euro 2012 team, Jewish leader askshttp://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/68759/why-no-auschwitz-visit-french-euro-2012-team-jewish-leader-asks
<p>The leader of the French Jewish umbrella organisation has expressed surprise that his country's football team did not visit Auschwitz ahead of the Euro 2012 tournament in Poland.</p>
<p>Several members of the England team spent the day at Auschwitz or visiting other Holocaust sites in Krakow ahead of the opening of the European competition. Teams from Italy, the Netherlands and Germany also organised visits. </p>
<p>But the French team, which played England in a one-all draw on Monday, is based in the Ukraine and did not arrange a similar visit.</p>
<p>Noting that England had taken a step ahead of France, CRIF president Dr Richard Prasquier wrote on the organisation's website that the lack of a visit was "shocking".</p>
<p>He acknowledged that a visit was more difficult for the French team, which is based in Donetsk in the Ukraine, than for the teams based in Krakow.</p>
<p>"But the plane shortens distances and the fact that the visit does not seem to have been considered is shocking."</p>
<p>He pointed out that the timing of the visit did not stop the England team from "playing properly three days later. "In light of how football players serve as role models for young people," and because of "the ignorance of many young people" about the Holocaust , he said the team should have visited.</p>
<p>He said he hoped the French team would reconsider visiting at the end of Euro 2012, adding that he hoped this would be after the players were "victorious" in the tournament.</p>World newsAuschwitzFranceEuro 201268759story

68708Campaign to make Euro 2012 chance to remember the Holocaust in Poland and the Ukraine68713Wenger, Booting out Poverty and Euro 2012
The leader of the French Jewish umbrella organisation has expressed surprise that his country's football team did not visit Auschwitz ahead of the Euro 2012 tournament in Poland.
Several members of the England team spent the day at Auschwitz or visiting other Holocaust sites in Krakow ahead of the opening of the European competition. Teams from Italy, the Netherlands and Germany also organised visits.
But the French team, which played England in a one-all draw on Monday, is based in the Ukraine and did not arrange a similar visit.
Noting that England had taken a step ahead of France, CRIF president Dr Richard Prasquier wrote on the organisation's website that the lack of a visit was "shocking".
He acknowledged that a visit was more difficult for the French team, which is based in Donetsk in the Ukraine, than for the teams based in Krakow.
"But the plane shortens distances and the fact that the visit does not seem to have been considered is shocking."
He pointed out that the timing of the visit did not stop the England team from "playing properly three days later. "In light of how football players serve as role models for young people," and because of "the ignorance of many young people" about the Holocaust , he said the team should have visited.
He said he hoped the French team would reconsider visiting at the end of Euro 2012, adding that he hoped this would be after the players were "victorious" in the tournament.
Wed, 13 Jun 2012 12:03:34 +0100Jennifer Lipman68759 at http://www.thejc.comWenger, Booting out Poverty and Euro 2012http://www.thejc.com/videos/world-jewish-relief/wenger-booting-out-poverty-and-euro-2012
<p>A tongue-in-cheek "Arsene Wenger" helps launch World Jewish Relief's "Boot Out Poverty" campaign, to coinicide with Euro 2012 in the Ukraine and Poland. </p>
<p><i><A href="www.wjr.org.uk/bootoutpoverty">Boot Out Poverty</A></i></p>World Jewish ReliefEuro 2012Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:07:59 +0100Jennifer Lipman68713 at http://www.thejc.comCampaign to make Euro 2012 chance to remember the Holocaust in Poland and the Ukrainehttp://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/68708/campaign-make-euro-2012-chance-remember-holocaust-poland-and-ukraine
<p>A group of Israeli students have set up a social media campaign, using the current European Championships in Poland and Ukraine as a basis for commemorating the Holocaust in the two host countries.</p>
<p>"Euro 1945", which can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and smartphone applications including those on the iPhone, has been launched by Omri Ariav, vice chairman of the s tudent u nion at the Interdisciplinary Cent re, Herzliya. The educational tool details the Jewish history of the host cities, which are Wroclaw, Gdansk, Poznan, Warsaw, Kiev, Lviv, Kharkiv and Donetsk.</p>
<p>The group's website features a large map marking the locations of the tournament stadiums with tombstones, which display the cities' Jewish populations before the Holocaust, where a large proportion of the six million Jews killed during the Holocaust perished.</p>
<p>Mr Ariav said that he was inspired " by the IDC delegation to Poland few months ago. I figured out that [Euro 2012] can promote Holocaust remembrance." He aims to bring his campaign to the attention of at least a "few thousand" people.</p>
<p>Mr Ariav emphasised that the project's focus on this tragic time was not intended to stir up feelings of guilt or anger, and that it should instead serve as a reminder of actions which must not be repeated.</p>
<p>He said: "I do not ask that you feel guilty during your sport … I do not ask for justice or even that Euro 2012 [takes place] on different soil. I ask you to remember that once on [Polish] land stood free men whose ambitions, dreams, desires and spirits were brutally erased. Do not leave history buried in books, but let it guide you to be better people in the future."</p>World newsPolandThe HolocaustEuro 201268708story

68656Euro 2012 fans told, come and see Poland's Jewish revival, an hour from Auschwitz68649'Dress like an Orthodox Jew' restaurant in Euro 2012 city Lviv, Ukraine
A group of Israeli students have set up a social media campaign, using the current European Championships in Poland and Ukraine as a basis for commemorating the Holocaust in the two host countries.
"Euro 1945", which can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and smartphone applications including those on the iPhone, has been launched by Omri Ariav, vice chairman of the s tudent u nion at the Interdisciplinary Cent re, Herzliya. The educational tool details the Jewish history of the host cities, which are Wroclaw, Gdansk, Poznan, Warsaw, Kiev, Lviv, Kharkiv and Donetsk.
The group's website features a large map marking the locations of the tournament stadiums with tombstones, which display the cities' Jewish populations before the Holocaust, where a large proportion of the six million Jews killed during the Holocaust perished.
Mr Ariav said that he was inspired " by the IDC delegation to Poland few months ago. I figured out that [Euro 2012] can promote Holocaust remembrance." He aims to bring his campaign to the attention of at least a "few thousand" people.
Mr Ariav emphasised that the project's focus on this tragic time was not intended to stir up feelings of guilt or anger, and that it should instead serve as a reminder of actions which must not be repeated.
He said: "I do not ask that you feel guilty during your sport … I do not ask for justice or even that Euro 2012 [takes place] on different soil. I ask you to remember that once on [Polish] land stood free men whose ambitions, dreams, desires and spirits were brutally erased. Do not leave history buried in books, but let it guide you to be better people in the future."
Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:23:27 +0100Josh Jackman68708 at http://www.thejc.comEuro 2012 fans told, come and see Poland's Jewish revival, an hour from Auschwitzhttp://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/68656/euro-2012-fans-told-come-and-see-polands-jewish-revival-hour-auschwitz
<p>Jewish football fans should not let media scaremongering about antisemitism in Poland put them off visiting and seeing for themselves the country's Jewish revival.</p>
<p>Jonathan Ornstein, the director of the World Jewish Relief-funded Jewish Community Centre of Krakow, said that life for Jews in Poland was "not as bad as people make it out to be" and was in his opinion better than "just about anywhere else in Europe".</p>
<p>Mr Ornstein was interviewed earlier this year for Panorama's investigation into racism and prejudice in Poland and Ukraine, ahead of Euro 2012.</p>
<p>He said his remarks had been portrayed by the BBC in a way that reinforced people's expectations about problems in Poland, rather than challenged them.</p>
<p>"In the same sense , you [British] have the Olympics and you could show the riots from last year and say 'do you think people should go to London', and they would say no," he said. "They are showing one element. There are problems in the stadiums, there is antisemitism, but there is antisemitism anywhere.</p>
<p>"The idea [that] it is unsafe to visit if you are Jewish is absurd."</p>
<p>Mr Ornstein expressed the hope that visitors would leave behind their fears and see first-hand the revival of Jewish life in Krakow, 70 years after the Nazis liquidated the ghetto there.</p>
<p>"Krakow is really being rebuilt from within, thousands of people have Jewish roots and went underground during Communism, people didn't feel safe acknowledging that they had them," he said. But he believed that Krakow's Jewish community, which he estimated to include 400 formal members, was one where people now felt comfortable being Jewish.</p>
<p>"In Europe Jewish people feel that they need to wall themselves off and to be distant from the communities. We in Krakow feel very safe.</p>
<p>"One of the most important stories in the Jewish community today is the rebirth and the revitalisation of Krakow, especially considering all the bad things that have happened here in the 20th century.</p>
<p>"That this forward-looking, open, progressive community which is rebuilding, an hour away from Auschwitz, is a very powerful message about redemption."</p>
<p>He added that fans who came for the sport should not only stop off at Auschwitz but take time to see "a vibrant growing Jewish community". </p>World newsEuro 2012AuschwitzPoland68656storyhttp://www.thejc.com/files/krakow.jpg

60812Welcome to Poland - it's where my family were killed68649'Dress like an Orthodox Jew' restaurant in Euro 2012 city Lviv, Ukraine
Jewish football fans should not let media scaremongering about antisemitism in Poland put them off visiting and seeing for themselves the country's Jewish revival.
Jonathan Ornstein, the director of the World Jewish Relief-funded Jewish Community Centre of Krakow, said that life for Jews in Poland was "not as bad as people make it out to be" and was in his opinion better than "just about anywhere else in Europe".
Mr Ornstein was interviewed earlier this year for Panorama's investigation into racism and prejudice in Poland and Ukraine, ahead of Euro 2012.
He said his remarks had been portrayed by the BBC in a way that reinforced people's expectations about problems in Poland, rather than challenged them.
"In the same sense , you [British] have the Olympics and you could show the riots from last year and say 'do you think people should go to London', and they would say no," he said. "They are showing one element. There are problems in the stadiums, there is antisemitism, but there is antisemitism anywhere.
"The idea [that] it is unsafe to visit if you are Jewish is absurd."
Mr Ornstein expressed the hope that visitors would leave behind their fears and see first-hand the revival of Jewish life in Krakow, 70 years after the Nazis liquidated the ghetto there.
"Krakow is really being rebuilt from within, thousands of people have Jewish roots and went underground during Communism, people didn't feel safe acknowledging that they had them," he said. But he believed that Krakow's Jewish community, which he estimated to include 400 formal members, was one where people now felt comfortable being Jewish.
"In Europe Jewish people feel that they need to wall themselves off and to be distant from the communities. We in Krakow feel very safe.
"One of the most important stories in the Jewish community today is the rebirth and the revitalisation of Krakow, especially considering all the bad things that have happened here in the 20th century.
"That this forward-looking, open, progressive community which is rebuilding, an hour away from Auschwitz, is a very powerful message about redemption."
He added that fans who came for the sport should not only stop off at Auschwitz but take time to see "a vibrant growing Jewish community".
Fri, 08 Jun 2012 12:59:08 +0100Jennifer Lipman68656 at http://www.thejc.comEuro 2012 fans: Come and see Poland's Jewish revival an hour from Auschwitzhttp://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/68655/euro-2012-fans-come-and-see-polands-jewish-revival-hour-auschwitz
<p>Jewish football fans should not let media scaremongering about antisemitism in Poland put them off visiting and seeing for themselves the country's Jewish revival.</p>
<p>Jonathan Ornstein, the director of the World Jewish Relief-funded Jewish Community Centre of Krakow, said that life for Jews in Poland was "not as bad as people make it out to be" and was in his opinion better than "just about anywhere else in Europe".</p>
<p>Mr Ornstein was interviewed earlier this year for Panorama's investigation into racism and prejudice in Poland and Ukraine, ahead of Euro 2012.</p>
<p>He said his remarks had been portrayed by the BBC in a way that reinforced people's expectations about problems in Poland, rather than challenged them.</p>
<p>"In the same sense , you [British] have the Olympics and you could show the riots from last year and say 'do you think people should go to London', and they would say no," he said. "They are showing one element. There are problems in the stadiums, there is antisemitism, but there is antisemitism anywhere.</p>
<p>"The idea [that] it is unsafe to visit if you are Jewish is absurd."</p>
<p>Mr Ornstein expressed the hope that visitors would leave behind their fears and see first-hand the revival of Jewish life in Krakow, 70 years after the Nazis liquidated the ghetto there.</p>
<p>"Krakow is really being rebuilt from within, thousands of people have Jewish roots and went underground during Communism, people didn't feel safe acknowledging that they had them," he said. But he believed that Krakow's Jewish community, which he estimated to include 400 formal members, was one where people now felt comfortable being Jewish.</p>
<p>"In Europe Jewish people feel that they need to wall themselves off and to be distant from the communities. We in Krakow feel very safe.</p>
<p>"One of the most important stories in the Jewish community today is the rebirth and the revitalisation of Krakow, especially considering all the bad things that have happened here in the 20th century.</p>
<p>"That this forward-looking, open, progressive community which is rebuilding, an hour away from Auschwitz, is a very powerful message about redemption."</p>
<p>He added that fans who came for the sport should not only stop off at Auschwitz but take time to see "a vibrant growing Jewish community". </p>World newsEuro 2012AuschwitzPoland68655story

60812Welcome to Poland - it's where my family were killed68649'Dress like an Orthodox Jew' restaurant in Euro 2012 city Lviv, Ukraine
Jewish football fans should not let media scaremongering about antisemitism in Poland put them off visiting and seeing for themselves the country's Jewish revival.
Jonathan Ornstein, the director of the World Jewish Relief-funded Jewish Community Centre of Krakow, said that life for Jews in Poland was "not as bad as people make it out to be" and was in his opinion better than "just about anywhere else in Europe".
Mr Ornstein was interviewed earlier this year for Panorama's investigation into racism and prejudice in Poland and Ukraine, ahead of Euro 2012.
He said his remarks had been portrayed by the BBC in a way that reinforced people's expectations about problems in Poland, rather than challenged them.
"In the same sense , you [British] have the Olympics and you could show the riots from last year and say 'do you think people should go to London', and they would say no," he said. "They are showing one element. There are problems in the stadiums, there is antisemitism, but there is antisemitism anywhere.
"The idea [that] it is unsafe to visit if you are Jewish is absurd."
Mr Ornstein expressed the hope that visitors would leave behind their fears and see first-hand the revival of Jewish life in Krakow, 70 years after the Nazis liquidated the ghetto there.
"Krakow is really being rebuilt from within, thousands of people have Jewish roots and went underground during Communism, people didn't feel safe acknowledging that they had them," he said. But he believed that Krakow's Jewish community, which he estimated to include 400 formal members, was one where people now felt comfortable being Jewish.
"In Europe Jewish people feel that they need to wall themselves off and to be distant from the communities. We in Krakow feel very safe.
"One of the most important stories in the Jewish community today is the rebirth and the revitalisation of Krakow, especially considering all the bad things that have happened here in the 20th century.
"That this forward-looking, open, progressive community which is rebuilding, an hour away from Auschwitz, is a very powerful message about redemption."
He added that fans who came for the sport should not only stop off at Auschwitz but take time to see "a vibrant growing Jewish community".
Fri, 08 Jun 2012 12:59:08 +0100Jennifer Lipman68655 at http://www.thejc.com'Dress like an Orthodox Jew' restaurant in Euro 2012 city Lviv, Ukrainehttp://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/68649/dress-orthodox-jew-restaurant-euro-2012-city-lviv-ukraine
<p>Tourists in town for Euro 2012 have been urged to avoid a restaurant in the Ukraine that invites customers to dress up as and mimic Orthodox Jews.</p>
<p>According to Dr Ephraim Zuroff, the Nazi-hunter and a director of the human rights organisation the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, "At the Golden Rose" is one of two antisemitic eating establishments in the city of Lviv, where three group B matches are to be played.</p>
<p>Dr Zuroff said that the restaurant gives guests hats with peyot attached when they arrive, and avoids citing prices on the menu so that people have to "haggle" on payment.</p>
<p>At another restaurant, "Kryvika", customers are welcomed into a room that is reminiscent of a Nazi-era bunker, after greeting waiters with the password "Glory to the Ukraine."</p>
<p>"By patronising these restaurants, football fans will be unwittingly supporting the most extreme and dangerous elements of Ukrainian society," said Dr Zuroff. "They will be insulting the memory of tens of thousands of Holocaust victims murdered in Lviv by the Nazis and their Ukrainian collaborators, a message diametrically opposed to the goals of Euro 2012."</p>
<p>His warning came as it emerged that a Second World War Jewish burial site had been desecrated in Rivne, which is about 200 kilometres away from Lviv. </p>
<p>The city's police official said vandals smashed a plaque commemorating 17,500 Jews killed there by the Nazis and collaborators. The vandals also broke a street lamp and laid the parts out to display insulting words. The attack was labelled "horrific" by Hennady Frayerman, who leads Rivne's small Jewish community.</p>
<p>Concerns about racism and antisemitism among the locals in Poland and Ukraine have been heavily discussed in the media in the run up to the football tournament, which begins today.</p>World newsAntisemitismEuro 201268649storyhttp://www.thejc.com/files/euro-2012-lviv.jpg

The Lviv arena

68597'Explosion' of antisemitic attacks in France68622Survivors tackle racism with England's Euro 2012 stars
Tourists in town for Euro 2012 have been urged to avoid a restaurant in the Ukraine that invites customers to dress up as and mimic Orthodox Jews.
According to Dr Ephraim Zuroff, the Nazi-hunter and a director of the human rights organisation the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, "At the Golden Rose" is one of two antisemitic eating establishments in the city of Lviv, where three group B matches are to be played.
Dr Zuroff said that the restaurant gives guests hats with peyot attached when they arrive, and avoids citing prices on the menu so that people have to "haggle" on payment.
At another restaurant, "Kryvika", customers are welcomed into a room that is reminiscent of a Nazi-era bunker, after greeting waiters with the password "Glory to the Ukraine."
"By patronising these restaurants, football fans will be unwittingly supporting the most extreme and dangerous elements of Ukrainian society," said Dr Zuroff. "They will be insulting the memory of tens of thousands of Holocaust victims murdered in Lviv by the Nazis and their Ukrainian collaborators, a message diametrically opposed to the goals of Euro 2012."
His warning came as it emerged that a Second World War Jewish burial site had been desecrated in Rivne, which is about 200 kilometres away from Lviv.
The city's police official said vandals smashed a plaque commemorating 17,500 Jews killed there by the Nazis and collaborators. The vandals also broke a street lamp and laid the parts out to display insulting words. The attack was labelled "horrific" by Hennady Frayerman, who leads Rivne's small Jewish community.
Concerns about racism and antisemitism among the locals in Poland and Ukraine have been heavily discussed in the media in the run up to the football tournament, which begins today.
Fri, 08 Jun 2012 10:25:13 +0100Jennifer Lipman68649 at http://www.thejc.comFootball's wandering tribehttp://www.thejc.com/comment-and-debate/comment/68611/footballs-wandering-tribe
<p>Following England in Euro 2012 promises to be a very Jewish experience. England, who play France in their opening match on Monday, will be based in Krakow, a town that is resonant with Jewish memories, but it goes much deeper than that. Images on a recent Panorama programme of racist Ukrainian fans beating up Asian followers of the same team have made a lot of people nervous about the reception they can expect from the natives in Poland and Ukraine, something of which we Jews have vivid memories.</p>
<p>There is also the fact that the England squad will be peripatetic, in a constant limbo between Poland, where they are based, and Ukraine, where their matches will be played. Due to injuries and suspensions, they will be travelling from country to country in a state of low expectation, hoping against hope that things will not turn out quite as badly as experience tells them it probably will do. Ring any bells? </p>
<p>Add to this that the England camp will probably divide into several factions each of which is broiges with the other while simultaneously adopting a ghetto mentality against the outside world, and there you have it. (Oh, and, of course, everyone is a little nervous of the Germans.) </p>
<p>Obviously, there are some subtle differences between England's footballers and the Jews of Eastern Europe. The Jews were not, with a few exceptions, pampered, hedonistic multi-millionaires living in secluded mansions. However, what the players do share with the shtetl dwellers is the fact they have been made to feel inferior to their neighbours. England players do not have the tactical nous of the Dutch and lack the technique of the Spanish. Rather like Chelsea in the Champions League they know that they will have to park the bus in front of the goal to stand any chance of success. And, given the state of the roads in Ukraine, they are likely to find even this difficult.</p>
<p>Of course, we all earnestly hope that the new boss, Roy Hodgson, will confound the critics. But here again, England face obstacles. Many in the media have been pointing out that everyone has low expectations this time around. However, this has been turned around. According to a new theory, the fact that no one anticipates that England will perform well, will liberate the players from the weight of expectation and enable them to ping the ball around the park like Messi. </p>
<p>In other words, the fact that no one expects anything of the players is ironically leading to a renewed sense of expectancy.</p>
<p>Anyone who retains some optimism this time, more than any other time, should bear the following in mind. This is a team that has throughout history been slaughtered by the opposition, persecuted by the press. This is a group that is not liked or admired across the continent and which has become insular and paranoid as a result. </p>
<p>So what do I think will happen over the next three weeks or so? Well, to tell the truth, I'll be quite happy if there are no pogroms.</p>CommentEuro 201268611story

Following England in Euro 2012 promises to be a very Jewish experience. England, who play France in their opening match on Monday, will be based in Krakow, a town that is resonant with Jewish memories, but it goes much deeper than that. Images on a recent Panorama programme of racist Ukrainian fans beating up Asian followers of the same team have made a lot of people nervous about the reception they can expect from the natives in Poland and Ukraine, something of which we Jews have vivid memories.
There is also the fact that the England squad will be peripatetic, in a constant limbo between Poland, where they are based, and Ukraine, where their matches will be played. Due to injuries and suspensions, they will be travelling from country to country in a state of low expectation, hoping against hope that things will not turn out quite as badly as experience tells them it probably will do. Ring any bells?
Add to this that the England camp will probably divide into several factions each of which is broiges with the other while simultaneously adopting a ghetto mentality against the outside world, and there you have it. (Oh, and, of course, everyone is a little nervous of the Germans.)
Obviously, there are some subtle differences between England's footballers and the Jews of Eastern Europe. The Jews were not, with a few exceptions, pampered, hedonistic multi-millionaires living in secluded mansions. However, what the players do share with the shtetl dwellers is the fact they have been made to feel inferior to their neighbours. England players do not have the tactical nous of the Dutch and lack the technique of the Spanish. Rather like Chelsea in the Champions League they know that they will have to park the bus in front of the goal to stand any chance of success. And, given the state of the roads in Ukraine, they are likely to find even this difficult.
Of course, we all earnestly hope that the new boss, Roy Hodgson, will confound the critics. But here again, England face obstacles. Many in the media have been pointing out that everyone has low expectations this time around. However, this has been turned around. According to a new theory, the fact that no one anticipates that England will perform well, will liberate the players from the weight of expectation and enable them to ping the ball around the park like Messi.
In other words, the fact that no one expects anything of the players is ironically leading to a renewed sense of expectancy.
Anyone who retains some optimism this time, more than any other time, should bear the following in mind. This is a team that has throughout history been slaughtered by the opposition, persecuted by the press. This is a group that is not liked or admired across the continent and which has become insular and paranoid as a result.
So what do I think will happen over the next three weeks or so? Well, to tell the truth, I'll be quite happy if there are no pogroms.
Thu, 07 Jun 2012 14:03:30 +0100Simon Round68611 at http://www.thejc.comBernstein: now it's all systems gohttp://www.thejc.com/sport/sport-news/67109/bernstein-now-its-all-systems-go
<p><b>EXCLUSIVE:</B> David Bernstein says that England will go into the Euro 2012 Championship finals with high expectations.</p>
<p>The FA chairman has come through a period of intense scrutiny following the departure of Fabio Capello as England manager. Having this week unveiled Roy Hodgson as Capello's successor, Mr Bernstein is confident the national team will give a good account of themselves under the new boss.</p>
<p>"The Euros will be a very challenging tournament," Bernstein said. "Every side is strong and England are in a strong group, but we will go there with high expectations."</p>
<p>Mr Bernstein said that he was "quite pleased" by the media and public reaction to the appointment of Hodgson. He said: "It's been pretty positive.</p>
<p>"Football is a national obsession. We're under scrutiny but what we all want is a successful England football team.</p>
<p>"It's been a while since the team did well in a major tournament. We believe that, with the set-up, the players coming through, the new national football centre and a fine new manager on board, we really hope the team does well and gives the public what they want."</p>
<p>Looking back on the managerial selection process, he said: "It was executed in three months. We developed a very careful strategy of working towards an approach and I believe we did this professionally and confidentially.</p>
<p>"It was a difficult process but not a difficult decision.</p>
<p>"I'm delighted with the efficiency of our strategy although the decision of whom to appoint was made a month ago. I'm very pleased we've named the man of our choice."</p>
<p>Mr Bernstein was speaking at a UJS Breakfast Briefing in central London on Wednesday.</p>Sport newsEuro 2012Football67109story

EXCLUSIVE: David Bernstein says that England will go into the Euro 2012 Championship finals with high expectations.
The FA chairman has come through a period of intense scrutiny following the departure of Fabio Capello as England manager. Having this week unveiled Roy Hodgson as Capello's successor, Mr Bernstein is confident the national team will give a good account of themselves under the new boss.
"The Euros will be a very challenging tournament," Bernstein said. "Every side is strong and England are in a strong group, but we will go there with high expectations."
Mr Bernstein said that he was "quite pleased" by the media and public reaction to the appointment of Hodgson. He said: "It's been pretty positive.
"Football is a national obsession. We're under scrutiny but what we all want is a successful England football team.
"It's been a while since the team did well in a major tournament. We believe that, with the set-up, the players coming through, the new national football centre and a fine new manager on board, we really hope the team does well and gives the public what they want."
Looking back on the managerial selection process, he said: "It was executed in three months. We developed a very careful strategy of working towards an approach and I believe we did this professionally and confidentially.
"It was a difficult process but not a difficult decision.
"I'm delighted with the efficiency of our strategy although the decision of whom to appoint was made a month ago. I'm very pleased we've named the man of our choice."
Mr Bernstein was speaking at a UJS Breakfast Briefing in central London on Wednesday.
Thu, 03 May 2012 13:57:39 +0100Danny Caro67109 at http://www.thejc.com